Fuel-feeding device



W. SPARKS lMay 27, 1924. 1,495,965

FUEL FEEDING DEVICE Fired March A12, 1920 Patented May 27, 1924.

vUNITED STAT-Es orriceg WILLIAM SPARKS, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO` THE SPARKS-WITHINGTON COMIANY, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

FUEL-reuniera DEVI-cn.

Application led March 12, 1929. Serial No. 365,232, i

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, .VILLIAM SPARKs, of Jackson, in the county of Jackson, in the State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fuel-Feeding Devices, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in fuel feeding systems, and is particularly applicable for supplying fuel from a low level tank to the carburetor of an internal combustion engine, constituting a part of an automobile, motor boat, areoplane, or the like. Y

The main object of the invention isr to provide a 'fuel supplyl apparatus or system of comparatively simple construction that does not have any of the objectionable Afeatures of the gravity feed system, the pressure feed system or the commonly used vacuum system.

Other objects and'advantages relate to the details of construction and operation of the device, as will vmore fully appear from the following description taken in connection with t-he accompanying drawings, in -whichzi Figure l is an elevation of the apparatus associated with a low level tank and an internal combustion engine.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section through the tank, and the operating device for effecting elevation of liquid fuel from t-he low level tank.

As illustrated, the apparatus comprises a tank 1 which may consist of a cylindrical wall -2, and upper and lower caps, -3- and -4- respectively, the lower caps being penetrated by pipe --5- for supplying liquid fuel by gravity to the carburetor 6 of an internal combustion engine -7-. The upper cap -3- is penetrated by a lateral tubular extension -8-, from an elongated cylinder S3- within which cylinder is positioned a reciprocating piston -lO-, preferably as shown, of substan tially cup-shaped form, to provide an elongated bearing surface. The cap -11- is adapted for threaded relation with a nipple *l2* having a relatively small conduit -13- for supplying motive fluid to the cylinder -9- from one of the combustion chambers of the engine, and lfor this purpose nipple l2- is connected by pipe With one of the Vengine cylinders.

.coil of the spring -l7- expands to lock the spring to the-piston. i

The cylinder -9-, preferably adjacent the end 15,- is in communication with pipe l-19- leading to a low level tank -20- and being preferably provided at some pointy along its length with a nonreturn check valven #-21-A adapted to prevent back flow of Aliquid fuel tothe tankv 420+- after each liquidelevatingstroke of piston 410@ as effected by spring -l7-. This valve '-*21- may be of any suitable and well-known construction and as shown, is an ordinary ball valve. The lateralV extension -8- as shown terminates in an elbow shaped nipple #22-1 having its open lower'end normally closedL by a' atvalve -23-- However, other shapes and `forms of nipple may be used and other well known constructions of' valves-to suit the form and shape ofthe nipple. Preferably, however, the valve is a normally closed one.

The operation of the structure so far described will be readily understood.

The compression from the engine is supplied to cylinder -9- through conduit -13- and will force the piston 10e to! ward the end -15- of the cylinder compressing the spring -`-17-. The springl should be of suiiicient strength and of such length and form as to prevent t-he piston from striking the end 15- of the cylinder. When the compression is relieved, the spring 17-4 will move the piston in a reverse direction within the cylinder, the valve Q3- will be closed both by gravity and suction and the vacuum produced within the cylinder `will open valve -21- and affect the elevation of liquid fuel into the cylinder and the lateral tubular extension -8-. Upon the next stroke of piston -l0 effected by compression transferred from the engine cylinder, the `valve -23 will be 'opened and the liquid fuel discharged into the tank -1, the valve -21- preventing backsflow of the liquid through the pipe -l9.

Vym-

The vspring 7 -17-- should be of sufficient length and of Suchl formand st renrthA as to permit piston operation under both high Aand loW compression as produced n the"e`ngne cylinder.Y determined by experiment.

In order to prevent flooding off the tank -1 when the engine 1s not consumingl `liquid fuel as fast as the ,same Wouldbe elevatedbyv the device vShown 'and forced j valve: 7 23; Whenthe-float is moved.toA a pre-determined yposition by liquid ifnel 'in v tank Any, Y.ifurthei':..Qrige oflthe Vfloat asV aleoted .by rise ,of level of*l the-:fuelwvill open vthe Y*valveY grz'aduallyfriin direct ratio with` the. riseuoi. the level '1 ofthe fuel so thatthe vacuum produced by operation: of piston +104.. willbefpartially or entirely neutralized, by air or liquid drawn from tankI -,-1-,7 andino furtherl elevation of liquid from tank K-2O-- Willjtal-e, place until a. pre-determined reduction of the level of Ithe vuelrin tanl-fl takes place... The

tank 51eisv maintanedfunder atmospheric pressure bya vent 4428.4.

the lateral extension,4 .andre-nipple -22- may5lif dr/Sxl'ed, be. tformedof a Single Such 'a forni fofv spring is read-ily' Castingand that@ Sheva, the. nipple5 T22* dlichfargesintothe reservoir'above the nor* nia-l level ofr theJ liqud'tlieren, SoV that whenv valve -23- is opened by loat -24-, the .operation Vof :piston -10- is` rendered 'neffectualby air-entering the lcylinder from Y tank 7 1-, rather than by a "surging back Although ,1. have shown and described a particular construction, forni and arrangement of appara-tus, I donot desire to limit mygelfxto-'the S21-nie, as'variousv changes may be nitidek in the detalsblf form, varrangevA Y meut and lconstrfucton Without dparting pildedlolaim. l Q wWhat Polairn yis Y r Y bustina englne CO'mp-msmg a reservoir; 'fan elo gat'edrpton chamber, .aV- conduit :leading fol; ad Chamber to aSQurCefliquid fuel wpplymn elbow-"shaped I iipple` coinmunicatingl with the .piston Chamb er 'and-extending downwardly. into. the reservoir, and Y lt'erniinatng in a laterallyY `directed o[piening, 4a

valve nioyablysecured to' Vsaid nippleand Inovablellaterally 'to open -a'ndvclose thea-disromtlis. invention as set, forth in' the 'ap- ,Y i

' Af'fu'elhsupgly Sy'vitenr. lfor 4internal coin-VK charge openinginthefnippley-a float-stein y having apartadapted -to contact-Witheaid valve to move the sainelaterally away troni the n1pple and a float inoiuxted on said Y Stem.. l K

` InlwitnessWhereo-I have hereunto Set my hand thisl 124th v day of February; 1920. .Y

' l i L VILLIAM. SPARKS;

l/Vitnesses:`V l Y l LILLIAN E. l/VUNDnrmrcH,V RQLLIN Buvslsi. 

